2000th ENGEL duo-Maschine handed over to BMW
Maximum power on a minimal footprint – this is what ENGEL duo machines have represented for years. And very successfully. A very special anniversary provided the perfect backdrop to underline this success story: the delivery of the 2000th ENGEL duo machine to the BMW Landshut plant. On the occasion of an official visit, the machine – an ENGEL duo 23050/4000 for manufacturing dashboards with an integrated safety net to cover the airbag – was officially handed over at the end of July.
Large-scale injection moulding machines with a clamping force of over 5000 kN have been an important part of the ENGEL range for over 40 years. The duo series machines put ENGEL in a perfect position to meet the requirements of manufacturers of large-scale injection moulded parts in the best possible way. The plastic interiors at BMW's Landshut plant placed some very special demands on the machine. The aim was to produce the dashboard for the new BMW 7 model range and future BMW models with an integrated web to secure the air bag cover. One major element in the production process is orderly and auditable quality assurance by means of a transponder.
BMW Landshut Plant
25 ENGEL injection moulding machines – seven of which are large-scale duo machines – are already deployed at BMW's Landshut plant. The plant has been a key component in the BMW Group's production network for more than 40 years. On a total floor space of 321,000 square metres, the 3300 staff manufacturer cast aluminium alloy engine components,plastic components for the interior and exterior, drive shafts, and replacement engines. The plant gets involved in the development process at a very early stage in collaboration with the Landshut Innovation and Technology Centre (LITZ); this helps BMW leverage the benefits of innovative manufacturing methods for lightweight materials such as cast aluminium alloy and plastics in designing new vehicles and components. This makes trust relationships and project-orientated cooperation with suppliers all the more important for a trouble-free manufacturing process. The ENGEL team scored major points here, especially thanks to its solution-orientated support during the planning phase and project engineering, and due to well-founded system competence - even for the most demanding of tasks.
The new machine was officially handed over on the occasion of a visit to Landshut on 31. July. "Our decision in favour of ENGEL in this project was an easy one to make. ENGEL had definitely the best package in comparison with the competitors (price, technology and realisation). The cooperation during the planning phase and finally the unproblematic realisation was mastered by the ENGEL team in a superior style", said Johann Ebenbichler, Head of Department Interior Technology at BMW's Landshut plant on the occasion of the handover. As Christian Pum, Head of Sales ENGEL Holding GmbH, emphasises: "Innovative enterprises like BMW always present exciting challenges. Challenges that help us to advance. BMW’s complex requirements triggered developments that gave new impetus to ENGEL. This partnership thus plays an important role in the ongoing development of both companies".